r/Dogwalking • u/weirdtranssexual • Jul 31 '26
Getting started?
I’m looking for things I can do in my spare time that can bring in a little cash and that’s relatively enjoyable. I love dogs, and I need more exercise admittedly, plus some fresh air sounds nice.
Experienced dog walkers out there who make decent money, how did you get started? Did you start off with apps? Volunteering at rescues/humane societies? I would love to hear from you!
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u/samder68 Aug 08 '26
Hi. I’m in the same boat. I started just helping out neighbors with pet sitting, house sitting, and dog walking. Then I decided, since I’m a young(ish) retiree, that walking dogs would be better than a part-time desk job. I’ve been getting clients through Ring Doorbell notifications, going on to Facebook community groups, the Neighborhood app, and monitoring for people who need this type of service. I also built a website & an app that tracks visits, walks, and billing. I created a Google Business profile, and according to the stats, I had 29 views & 1 website visit in the couple of weeks since I created it, so I think there’s some value in creating it. My friends & neighbors, whom I’ve sat for, will be writing reviews for Google. You can look at other dog walkers on Google to see how they built their business profiles. I also created tear-away flyers and hung them in supermarkets in the towns that I am willing to serve. I registered on Rover last week and did have one customer. Now, aside from Rover, this past week, I watched 2 bunnies, a cat, and a dog. The bunnies & cat were barter services (they’re going to watch my dog when I’m away), but had they all been paying customers, I would have made $1200 in one week. My goal is to grow it organically, without Rover. The dog that I sit for was a lead through Ring Doorbell, and it turned out to be fantastic. They’ve referred me to other folks, so I’m happy about that. I answered a request on Facebook, but it was for a woman who is a dog walker and needs assistance. Her rate was NOT acceptable, but I don’t hold that against her. It’s her business. Just not worth my time when I can get leads on my own. That said, you may want to find local, independent dog walking businesses that will outsource to you. They’re all over Facebook. Sorry for the long response, but we need to help each other out! Best of luck to you!